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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. P. PRATT.

' ELECTRIC BELT.

No. 888,581. Patented Aug. 28, 1888.

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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. P. PRATT.

ELECTRIC BELT.

No. 388,581. Patented Aug. 28, 1888.

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r3 involve as essential features a series of gal- 2o (to cite one instance of construction) ot'ihcir body without support at their points of appanded when the belt is adjusted on the perwhereby when the belt is in operative posiro further, to provide a generally-iniproved elec- UNITED STATES HARRY I. PRATT, OF CHCAGO, LLNOIS, ASSIGOR TO THE TRO THERAPEUTIC SUPPLY COMPANY, 0F SAME '.Plix

' LECTRl SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Application filed April l0, lSSB.

To all whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that l, HARRY l?. PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ghicago, in the county of Coeli and State ol" lllinois, have invented a new and rse'l'nl Improvement in Electric Belts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the class of electro-therapeutic belts which vanic cells connected with a girdle l'or attachment to the person, and having the poles connected by suitable conductors with electrodes to bc applied to the body of the wearer.

As connnonly constructed, electric belts of the class referred to are necessarily applied in direct contact with the body of the wearer, since the electrodes as hitherto provided have to be supported by it or from it, as in the case adjustment on shoulder-braces extending from the girdle portion of the device.

One of the objects of niy improvement is to have the electrodes attachable directly to the plie-ation from any extraneous medium, snch as the girdle or parts connected thereivit'n.

Fur her objects are to provide a longitudinally-expansible battery which shall bc exson, and by the act of its expansion operate to strengthen the battery-current; to provide a nieehanically-operated circuit breaking or interrupting attachment for the battery7 tion the battery-circuit may be normally open, and shall, While the belt is being worn, nndergo continual interruption, produced by the motions of the body of the wearer; and,

tric belt, both as toits broad construction and as to details thereof.

My invention consists in the general. construction of the battery, whereby it is rendered expansible longitudinally, and in so expanding operates to compress the absorbent material in each cell saturated with the eX- Citing-liquid, and thereby 'ree snflicient of the latter to increase by its access to lhe positive and negative elements the strcngih of the battery.

Artnr er No. SSSSl, lated August 2.8,

Serial No. 9.70101. (No model.)

It also consists in the generai construction of electrodes connected with the battery, whereby they are attachable directlr on the body ofthe wearer; also in having a mechanically-operated circuit breaking or interrupting attachment to thebattery; also in the gcneral construction oi' ineans for connecting the battery and girdle portions ot the belt.

lily invention further consists in details ol' construction and combinations of parts.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a perspective vien' ol my inigroved electric belt, showing by dotted lines a niodiied forni of electrode connected with the battery. Fig. 2 is an eularged vievv, in sectional elevation, oa circuitinterrnpting attachment, Fig. 3, plan vienY oi` a clamp detail; Fig. 4, a vien in elevation ot the battery; Fig., 5, a perspective view showing an end portion oi' the battery incased; G, a similar vie-.v or" the connecting-link detail for the cells of the battery; Fig. 7, a horizontal section through a batteryccll and its connecting-links, sho Jing details of construction; Fie'. S, an enlarged view, in side elevation, of the internal zine or negative element ol' a battery-cell; and E), an enlarged sectional view taken transversely at any line through the battery and belt.

A is the `iclt which l prefer to forni ol elastic material. i3 is the battery, composed of eellsileach comprising a central (zine) plate, o, preferably perforated and folded upon itsell", as shown in Figs. i) and l0, absorbent niatcrial q-snch as felt or asbestus-wrapped transversely around the elen1entr,and a plate, (copper,) p, surrounding the absorbent ninterial in a inanner to leave the ends exposed. rEhe element p is of thin sheet nictal, also preferably perforated, and intrinly ol the substantially oval forni. in cross section shown in Fig. i), with the tubular extension o at one edge open or split longitudinally, as shown at :r and a, but soldered together at ris will hereinafter inore ofthe battery-cells is ot' great importance, inasnincii as to it is duethe lnnction of strengthening the battery by tension exerted lengthivise of the battery from. opposite poles. rlhe battery comprises any desired nnniber of cells, C, connected together by metallic (copper as shown, on

fullyappeanthisconstruction l IVO each by rings n of the same material. Each link serves to connect the elementi1 of one cell, to which it is secured, preferably by scldering, with the elementp of an adjacent cell for attaching it to a support which holds it in contact with the part of the body to which it is applied, as on the beltA, as shown in Fig. l. The kind of electrode, however, which I desire in the tubular extension o, in which it has a i to claim in the .present application is shown limited transverse play, and the links n of the end cells, connected, respectively, with the Copper and zinc elements thereof, have lateral extensions, forming cyes it?, at which to connect metallic clasps m, Fig. l, secured to elastic straps Z,the opposite ends of thestraps Z being fastened to sliding clampbuckles on the belt, which clamp-buckles are of an ordinary form and construction,being the same as those commonly employed on suspendcrs, and to which the suspenderends are clasped. Each clasp m carries a metallic eye, m2, at which the conductors carrying electrodes are connected by means hereinafter described.

The battery B is inclosed within a case, D, formed, preferably, of rubber or oiled silk to render it impervious to the moisture of the battery, (a suitable acid with which the absorbent material is saturated) and having a la J D to coverit andthe e yes a? on the end l f y l cells extend through' openings it in the ends of the case D. A case, E, of cloth or any other suitable material, open at both ends, is provided on the belt,and may be slipped thereon to any position to which it is desired to move the battery, which, and the case D, it incascs, and by slipping the ease E, as described, access is readily had to the battery for any purpose without requiring the said case to be removed from the belt to gain such access.

The insulated conducting-wires k and k', to which the electrodes, hereinafter described, are attached, are provided at their extremities with suitable clasps, k2, carrying my improved ferm of connectingclamp F, Fig. 5, for connecting the conductors with the battery and the electrodes to the conductors. The clamp F, which is formed of springy metal, comprises the coil i at its base, from the ends of which extend the arms i, terminating in hooks 2, which open outward, as shown. By compressing the arms t" they are brought closely enough together to permit the insertion ofthe hooks i with an eye, as the eye m2, on a clasp, on, with which, on releasing the clamp F, the hooks engage and produce perfeet electrical eonnectiom It it be desired to cutout any of the batterycells for the purpose of utilizing only a portion of the battery force, a conductor carrying an electrode may be connected at its clamp F with a ring, n', on a link, n, and to permit such connection to be made it is only necessary, in order to gain access to the battery for the purpose, to slip aside the case E on the belt and turn up the ap D', the case D and battery, of course, being sustained on the belt by suspension from the clasps m.

The electrodes for use with my improved battery may be of common construction as to their general form, which is that of a metallic disk, It, provided on its rear side with means at G in Fig. l, and comprises, broadly stated, one which is self-supporting on the part of the body to which it is applied, and to this end is formed, preferably, of an adhesive plaster, g, carrying on its adhesive surface an electrode, lz, (or two electrodes, if the same appliance is desired to form both t-he positive and negative terminals of the battery,) having an eye, f/, on

its rearside extending through thcplaster, and

at which connection is made with a conductor by means ot a clamp, F, in the manner already described, and shown in Fig. l. This form of electrode constitutes a very important feature in myinvention, inasmuch as, owing to its sel fsupporting quality by adhesion to the part, it obviates the necessity ot' applying the belt or medium, which would have to be provided for its support were it not seltsupporting, directly to the person of the wearer, which entails dis comfort. The same end may be subserved by the construction of electrode G, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) and comprising a band, preferably elastic, formed with conducting n1aterial (as metallic net-work) adapted to surround and fit the part of the body to which it is applied, and provided, il" desired, with a vmetallic eye, g', at which to attach the conductor, as in the manner already described. Either form ot' electrode G may be used; or both may be used together, as terminals of the same or of dillerent poles ol' the battery, or either may be used with any other suitable forni of electrode.

My improved belt may be provided with a circuit breaker or intcrrupter, H, which Iprefer to construct as shown in detail in Fig. 4, comprising a housing, f, secured tothe belt in any convenient position, as on a buckle, m', and containing` loosely a block, f, el conducting material-such as carbon-concave at its opposite ends, and metallic sct-screws or contacts e, having eyes cin their ends, areinserted through the heads ot' the housing/into the concavities in the block f. One screw, c e, may be connected permanently, as shown, with a clasp, m, while the other :tifoids means for attaching to it the electrode G when it is desired to include the interrupter. in the circuit.

A conductor maybe connected directly with the battery, as shown in Fig. 1, when the interruptcr is not in the circuit; 0r it may be connected indirectly therewith by adjusting the clamp F on a conductor into the eye e of the set-screw c, not connected with a clasp, m, whereby the movements of the wearer ot' the belt, by vibrating the blockf, which brings the sides ofthe concavity in the upper end of the latter into and out et' contact with the end ot' the adjacent sctscrew ci, continually make and break the circuit, producing the wellknown therapeutic cilect ofan interrupted current. The circuit breaker is thus operated me- IIC ehanically,in contradistinction to other circuitbreakers on electric belts known to me, which are actuated by the battery-current to make and break the circuit, and thus throw induced currents from an induction-coil to the electrodes. With my device it is not an induced current, as commonly understood, which is generated by the circuit-breaker, but the body of the wearer of the belt is subjected to the dili`erent desirable influence of the make and break in the battery-current.

By means of the clamp-buckles m the battery and ease D may be readily adjusted to any desired position on the belt, whereby when an electrode of the common form referred to is applied to the casing around the battery, as it may be, it is carried with the battery to any part of the body encircled by the belt to which it is desired to apply the electrode.

By tightening the girdle A on the person the thin metal elementsp of the cells of the battery are extended longitudinally, thus compressing or reducing` the diameters of the elements p transversely, and squeezing' the absorbent material q, whereby the acid with which it is saturated is pressed out and flows upon and through the parts o' and y?, and accordiuglyincreases the strength ofthe battery.

TV hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an electric belt, the combination cfa girdle portion, A, alcngitudiuallyexpansiblc and transversely-compressible battery, B, comprising cells C, ilexibly connected together, and electrodes connected by suitable conductors with the opposite poles of thcbattery, substantially as described.

2. ln an electric belt, the combination of a girdle portion, A, a longitudinally-expansible and transversely-compressible battery, B, comprising cells C, flexibly connected together, clasps fm, attached to the opposite poles of the battery, buckles m' on the girdle portion, elastic bands Z, connecting the clasps in and buckles, and electrodes connected by suitable conductors with the clasps m, substantially as described.

3. ln an electric belt,the battery B, comprising, in combination, cells C, composed each ol' an element, 1', surrounded by absorbent material, q, to conlaiu the exciting-liquid, and an element, p, ol' substantially the oval form shown,and provided with the extension 0,links a, connecting the cells from opposite elements, and end links, n having eyes ai, substantially as described,

d. In an electric belt, the battery B, cour prising, in combination, cells C, composed each of an element, i', surrounded by absorbent material, q, to contain the excitingdiquid, andan elemenup,ofsubstantially the oval form shown, and provided with the extension 0, links n, connecting the cells from opposite elements, rings n on sonic or all ot' the links, and end v links, "n, having eyes n, substantially as dethe girdle portion A, ofa battery, B, incloscd in a moistureproof case and having its terminais projecting from opposite ends ot' the said ease and connected with the girdle portion, a shifting ease, E, on the girdle portion, disconnected from the said moistureprooi case, wherebythe case E may be shifted to cover or uncover the case containing the battery, and electrodes connected by suitable conductors with the opposite poles ol' the battery, substantially as described.

6. In an electricbelt, thecoinbination, with the battery, ofa in cchanically-operated circuit breaker or inlcrrupler, substantially as described.

7. In an electric belt, the combination, with the battcry,of a circuit breaker or interruptor, H, comprising a housing, f, containing loosely conducting material, j", and contacts c, extending into the housing, substantially as described.

S. In an electric belt, the combination, with the lnittcry,oip a circuit breake or interruptor, H, comprising a housing, j", containing loosely conducting material, j", and contacts c, ci;` tending into the housing and provided with eyes c', substantially as described.

9. ln an electric belt or the like, the combination, with the battery, ol' a conductor to which an electrode is connected, and a clamp, F, at an end oi the conductor, l'ormcd with springarms v", having` hooks i2 at their extremities, extending outwardly in opposite dircetions, substantially as described.

lll. in an electric belt or the like, the combination, with lhc battery, of a conductor to which an electrode is connected, and a clamp, F, at the end el the conductor, formed with a coil, t, and spring-arms fe'f, having hooks it' at their extremities, extending outwardly in opposite directions, substantially described.

ll.. in an electric belt or the like, the coinbination, with the battery, ol` an electrode, G, connected with a pole of the battery byasuitable conductor and self-supporting on the part ot' the body to which itis applied, substantially as described.

l2. ln an electric belt or the like, the conibination, with the bnltcry, of an adhesive electrode, G, connected with a pole of the battery by a suitable conductor, substantially as described.

13. lu an electric belt or the like, the eembination, with the battery, ol` an adhesive electrede, G, comprising a plaster having a metallic plate on its adhesive surface and an eye, g, extending from the said plate through the plaster, and a conductor connected at one end with a pole ol' the battery, and carrying at its opposite end a clamp, F, l'orhied with springarms i, terminating in hooks i", inserted into the eye g', substantially as described.

UAW-RY l?. Pilt "FT,

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